How to make PowerAid GLOW!!

[Scope1313]

A few weeks ago I was cruising back to college, which is somewhere near BFE, and it was absolutely pitch black outside with no street lights in sight. I had a Route 44 from Sonic that I was slurping some cherry limeade from occasionally. After one particular big gulp I attempted to blindly set the mammoth drink into the cupholders located in front of the center console, but it was too dark to see down there so I did it blindly and ended up sticking the whole thing into another cup that was in the other cupholder. Needless to say it was to topheavy and tipped over about a minute later causing a lovely little sticky mess, and ruining my sugar high!!:cussing: :cussing:

I decided I needed to illuminate the cupholders somehow, and here is what I came up with.....

Required Tools/Parts-
I went down to AutoZone and found some cheap 5 dollar LEDs (They were called S-Type)
I had originally intended to find some way to hard wire these suckers into my lighting system (which I am sure you could easily do) but instead I found a switch box made by Bell. It has a simple two way switch and three speaker style power outlets. (Like what you clamp your cheap speaker wire with) It plugs into your cigarette lighter for power.
Here is the unit....it's a bit bigger than a cigarette package.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_30.jpg

You will also need :
Drill
Epoxy
ScrewDriver
Serrated Knife
1 inch long 3/8 diam. Bolts and nuts (2 or 4) Preferably Black
Wire ties


Step 1- Taking off the Cupholders
The plastic piece that forms the cupholders and extends from the front of the seat is connected to a metal plate which is held to the seat by a bracket which goes up under the middle seat. I couldn't reach the bolts that held this bracket on and my hands were to big to fit under the middle seat that far. So I removed the plastic piece from the metal piece. Here is a pic of the metal bracket with the cupholders removed. http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_36.jpg
Notice the 8 holes. These are ALMOST directly under the cupholders themselves, but not quite centered. Through these holes the plastic from the cupholders passes and is then mushroomed to rivet the piece to the metal plate. I simply got underneath the plate and cut off the mushroomed heads with a serrated knife and the plastic unit popped off pretty easily. DON'T WORRY about chopping these off, later this will be bolted back onto the plate and it will be stronger than before!

Step 2- Installing the LEDs
Now that the plastic is out you should have something like this to work with. http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_34.jpg
This is the bottom of the unit and you can see where the bent plastic was shaved off to allow extraction. http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_33.jpg
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_32.jpg
Now you can flip it over and drill your holes for the LED's. You will need to drill directly into the nubs that remain from the plastic rivets, this way the wiring can pass through the hole in the metal plate. I just put in one LED per cupholder and it emits more than enough light to illuminate the cupholder and any clear plastic drink in it. Make sure you mount the LEDs vertically as straight as possible....if they lean to one side they can point straight at you and can be annoying. You will also need to drill holes in a few of the other plastic rivets to allow you to bolt the unit back onto the metal plate.

The cupholders have a rubber insert that fits into the unit also. Drop these into the cupholders and drill through the rubber until you have a hole slightly smaller than an eraser. Now it's time for the LEDs. Pic of the insert with little hole punched here>> http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_31.jpg


As you can see in the pics you simply pop the LEDs in from the bottom until they protrude about 1/4 of an inch into the plastic cupholder (leave enough extra to poke through the rubber insert also). Epoxy those little suckers in as best you can and set em out to dry. Should look like this>> http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_37.jpg


Step 3- Dash mounted Switch
The switch I purchased came with velcro and adhesvie tape to mount it with, I mounted it on the plastic piece that is directly under the cigarette lighter holes. The wire was run tighly in the crack to the left of this piece of plastic, wire tied under the dash outta sight, and then back up to the unit. I faced the outlets to the left. Sorry for the crappy pic but it was kinda dark under there and I only had a camera phone. http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_35.jpg
I did this while the Epoxy set, to waste less time.

Step 4- LEDs go back in the Truck!
Time to remount the cupholders and wire up the LEDs. I ran the wires down through the front outer holes and placed the unit back where it was originally. Next run bolts through the holes you drilled into the spots where the plastic rivets once were. Tighten up the nut from below. Now you can run the wiring from the LEDs to the switch box, or if you are hard wiring them to wherever you are planning on connecting them. (For now they just run across the trans hump and under the dash, where they are wire tied and then connected to the power switch. Drop the rubber inserts back in and push them down until the LEDs pop out just a smidge. Flip the switch and WHAMMO! Blue, Green, Red, Yellow......or whatever color light illuminates your cupholders and a bit of the dash. For a REALLY cool effect drop in some water bottles or PowerAid, looks awesome. I really think the switch box is the way to go on this install, allows you to flip em on and off at will.

End Result:
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_26.jpg
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_28.jpg
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_27.jpg
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482791_25.jpg

Any questions or pics you need just PM or email me......tinkering is what i do!!! Hope this catches on and you guys like the look.
PS- The power box has multiple outlets....so you can add more LEDs to other spots if you feel like going a bit crazy!!:D :D :D

[DemoN]

Very nice mod :rocking:

[Scope1313]

Well thank you sir!!:ehcapt:

[Mrplow123]

Very nice. That will freak some people out. "Hey what is that?" "Oh it's just some raidioactive coolaid I made at home.".:D

[Scope1313]

:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

[LilMule]

im doing this in my vents when im done ill put pictures of the leds in my vents

[blz85]

Very nice mod!!

[fuel583]

Looks pretty good man, it would be nice if u could hard wire them in without needing that box. But it still looks awesome. Looks like a pretty sick drink u got there lol.

[Scope1313]

Yeah.....they probably can be hard-wired, but I am off at school with very limited amounts of my tools. If I hard wired it, I would have wanted to do it right, and I don't have any soldering equip or anything decent at my apartment at school. But the box actually works pretty nicely (allows you to turn it off and on whenever you want and allows for more LEDs to be added). Since posting this tech article I have re-wired it a bit. The box now mounts under the seat and the wires have been almost totally hidden....all you see is the 2 inches leading to the cigarette lighter plug from the dash, the switch is outta sight but close at hand.

[LilMule]

i did this in my vents ill post pictures once i get a camera that isnt crap. but i hard wired them using a touch pad relay from autozone it came to be 16.99 but i hooked my fog lights and pulse red neon to it as well. it is totally in dash and the only thing seen from the dash is the touch pad which is nicely at reach under the pasenger airbag key switch once again ill have pictures as soon as i get a better digital camera

[Scope1313]

Sweet. Bring on the pics!!!

[LilMule]

said id put in the pics didnt take any of the set up or how i have it set up. but i do have the final product.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/5/web/521000-521999/521450_17_full.jpg
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/5/web/521000-521999/521450_19_full.jpg
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/5/web/521000-521999/521450_20_full.jpg
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/5/web/521000-521999/521450_21_full.jpg

I still have to work on the right vent cut out the center part in the split vent

[bigdaddy22]

Pretty cool man. Not usually a fan of that stuff but it just works here. :head:

[TRIXXTERR]

that is pretty cool, its amazing whatcha come up with from just spilling your drink..i think it is awsome.:head:

[KuzIKan]

Dude, thats awesome.:head: :head:

[LayenXFrame]

Originally posted by fuel583
Looks pretty good man, it would be nice if u could hard wire them in without needing that box. But it still looks awesome. Looks like a pretty sick drink u got there lol.
u can...what u could actually do it wire to the fuse that controls ur head lights. so when it gets dark ur headlights and led's go on. or if u dont wana go as extensive just run the wire to the fuse box take of the fuse stick the wire in and then the fuse and itl stay.

[Hellafast91]

Cant you get some LED's that change colors? I saw some fog lamps at auto zone when i bought some for my girls car and it had a switch where you could push it and it would change the color. It only used one LED for like 5 different colors. My girl wants some that she can change the color of in her car. I guess for her different moods.

[bignick81]

nice, i got some that change like 10 colors, i like the power air idea, put a fishtank in the back and mount some lights behind it, or gets the leds that beat with the music, hten u'd have some tight poweraid!

[Hellafast91]

Where did you get your color changing LED's? I went to radio shack and they didnt have any that changed colors. I dont know where else to look.

[liaisons]

Hey REAL NICE guys!

I just got my LEDs from this site: http://www.directLEDs.com/

They are only $0.45 EACH with $1.75 flat rate shipping... I bought a lot at that price, forget radio shack! They are just as bright, if not BRIGHTER! Only took 2 days to get my order! They take paypal ect... pretty cool people!

Any how, I'll be doing this mod very soon! I'll be sure to take pics soon ;)

[98cepektahoe]

i went to advance auto parts today and got some leds to do this....but i got to thinking about it and will the moisture from the drinks mess up the led? and also i have a little pa/multi sound horn thing thats wired to my ignition.....the wires that my leds came with arent very long and i dont feel like buying wire to extend them so if i wire them to the horn/pa will it be getting power all the time or only when the horn is on?

[ricksta777]

nice job with the cup holder, I'm gonna out in my .02 cents here...

i had a VW recently and did the same thing, but i wired my LED's to my head light dimmer switch, so when i turned on my headlights, the LED's came on, that way i wouldn't be running them all day, and it was the positive wire i believe... i am gonna do this with my 99 Z71 and also throw in maybe the vents... i donno, but the cup holder thing, i might end up doing one light above the cup holder, right under the cid lighter plugs... i'll post pics later, nice job!

[Scope1313]

Thanks for the feedback fellas! Been a few months and they still look/work great. No moisture probs and I still like having the switch to turn em on and off when I want, works ok for me I guess. Good to know it's catching on! :):D

[cb98chvy]

:devil: yess sir... gotta have it nice!

[jeffcolburn]

:happy:NICE!!!:happy:

[97Chebbie]

Sweet mods. Very creative. The vent mod makes it look like you have one heck of a heater.

[jeffcolburn]

My buddy wants to thank you for the inspiration! This is in his 1996 S-10. If you want to check out the rest of his truck, go here:

Http://www.streetsourcemag.com/Profile.aspx?Home=true&ProfileID=7538

http://img.sportruck.com/forum/uploadedfiles/5-13537-BottleSM.gif

[ICUDOGG]

Yeah that is ME!
3 orange 5000mcd 30Deg Led's

Grand total of about $0.75 each...wire, led, resistor, solder and shinks.

I bought them 2 months ago to use a lighting from SuperBrightLed I am just now using them! LOL That is 3 down and 22 more to mount.

Thanks again for the great idea!

Later
C

[cooker2003]

i bought some bolts with led's mounted in the heads (from like wally world or autozone, don't remember) that worked great for this, just wire it up to a 12 volt source, no need for that huge box or anything

thanks for the inspiration though!
dave

[Scope1313]

Thanks for the feedback and glad I could inspire some moddin!!! Been away from the forums for awhile.....my LEDs are still workin great though!

[slamcharger]

love that i did it in my astry an lil pocket thingy

[ianbroste]

i got some leds and i wanna do this but i want to hook them up so they come on when my headlights come on?

[addiction2bass]

pics dont work for me... :(

[cxpcman]

pics dont work for me... :(
somebody say refresh ??(f5)

[addiction2bass]

ok well now they work... i did try and refresh them yesterday with no luck :( maybe SD links where just being stupid.

[cxpcman]

maybe SD links where just being stupid.
yeahh .. sure ..the SD links .......

[Blue Z71]

That is one hell of an idea, dude... Those blue ones would look awesome in my blue z71... LOL A mod that just HAS to be done...

Thanks for spilling your drink, man!!! LOL j/king

[wisesuperman]

I put led's in my vents also, but i took them out a month later and put them in my girlfriends car. I decided that it was kind of a car thing, and it does look alot better in her car.

Britt

[Nick Z71]

that website doesn't work liaisons...

[shaved80]

i got some leds and i wanna do this but i want to hook them up so they come on when my headlights come on?

wire it up to your headlight wire so it gets power when the headlights are on. thats how i did it when installing my digi gauges

i may just have to do this with my center console. how long do you think a little 9v will power those 2 LEDs?

[Z71dook]

pretty slick idea!!!!!

[AirRide]

where you get that box at?

[98350ss]

Nice mod *bump*:luke:

[steinfire]

I did this and wired mine to a switch in the ash tray and the switch is wired to a relay under the hood. I have LEDs in my cupholders, storage compartment under the AC controls, center console, and put one behind each door handle. I can turn them on and off when I want to by using my little led switch in the ash tray, all wires are hidden and hid my relays in a "project box" I found at radio shack.


center console holder
http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/steinfire/218766.jpg
dash holder and storage pocket
http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/steinfire/216219.jpg
http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/steinfire/214989.jpg
behind door handles
http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/steinfire/217705.jpg
door panel
http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/steinfire/217704.jpg

[BlackSilvy]

does anyone know how to take the cupholders of a 99 with the full center counsel between the bucket seats?? I would love to do this.

[Sierra Stud]

does anyone know how to take the cupholders of a 99 with the full center counsel between the bucket seats?? I would love to do this.

Your talking a nbs I take it. It just pops out, pull on the middle between the two cup holders and it should just pop right out.

[Mental Health]

If you want to wire these strait in without the converter box just grab some 330ohm - 1000ohm(Depending on how bright you want them) resistors rated for 1/2 watt and put one in series with each LED and you are set :phatyo: very easy and cheap to boot.

Edit: One note the lower the resistance the bighter the LED I would not go less than 330ohm or you can blow the LED.

Also I have wired these to a head unit before and they will blink with the music, did that with my 500 Watt amp and christmas lights as well about 10 years ago LOL.

[caliking]

I have to say, I am impressed. Looks good.

[odenthall1]

the link on the first page doesn't work. is there a place online to find leds.

[iridektm]

just go to radio shack

[bknyaic]

That looks really good.Im gonna try it on my 92.

[odenthall1]

ok so I need some help I want to do like 15 leds through out my truck. how would I hook them up to like 2 switches so I can turn them on and off as needed? I plan on doing some in the wheel wells, in the cowl part of my cowl induction hood. etc. should I just buy some that are 12v ready? if anyone can show some pics of how theirs is wierd up that would be nice.

[odenthall1]

anyone?

[Sierra Stud]

I would just buy some that are ready (with the pre wired resistor). I picked some up for mine at autozone, kind of pricy, 9.99 for a 3 pack. All you have to do is just run power to them. What power source are you wanting to pull from for your switch (Constant power, headlights, etc.)?

[odenthall1]

I am think of going from constant power source. any ideas on how to get 15 leds on 2 switches. (ex: the outside leds on 1 switch and interior on the other switch.) i was thinking maybe a seperate fuse block for each. any other ideas?

[BlazinX]

pimpin idea! im inspired now. :)

[Sierra Stud]

I am think of going from constant power source. any ideas on how to get 15 leds on 2 switches. (ex: the outside leds on 1 switch and interior on the other switch.) i was thinking maybe a seperate fuse block for each. any other ideas?

You could pull power from just about anywhere you want, led's pull little to no power, I wired my interior led's off the gray wire coming from the radio, which power is applied when the headlights are on and I can control them with the dimmer switch. I would just pick an easy source to pull from and fuse it.

[mveale05]

I like this mod... I'm thinking I'll do that, and then maybe some other LED's around the interior.

Is there any way I could wire the cupholder LED's into their own switchbox and the rest into another, and then wire it all so it runs off the battery, and not my cigarette lighter?

The idea of course being, so when I want to cruise with them on at night, flip a switch and they come on, and when I want them off, flip a switch and off they go.

Can anybody help me with where/what to wire these to? I'm fairly new to wiring, so yeah, help is appreciated.

[blink182house]

the link on the first page doesn't work. is there a place online to find leds.


www.lsdiodes.com

I have ordered LED's from here tons of times for back in the day when i used to do cosmetic mods on xbox's. I just put 1 each per cupholder in my '03 Sierra, 1 blue 3000mcd led w/resistor, and i actually took power from the Pink wire for low-beams under the dash and the switch is funky i dont recommend it. I'm going to relocate to a constant 12v's somewhere i think and just run a switch in the center console and lift it up and flick it on or off when needed. Its' hard to use your rear view mirror at night with them on, so I wouldn't suggest driving around with them all the time, have a cutoff switch if need be (or incase you get pulled over at night). Cool little mod though, if my camera didnt blow i'd post pics!

[Sierra Stud]

I like this mod... I'm thinking I'll do that, and then maybe some other LED's around the interior.

Is there any way I could wire the cupholder LED's into their own switchbox and the rest into another, and then wire it all so it runs off the battery, and not my cigarette lighter?

The idea of course being, so when I want to cruise with them on at night, flip a switch and they come on, and when I want them off, flip a switch and off they go.

Can anybody help me with where/what to wire these to? I'm fairly new to wiring, so yeah, help is appreciated.
You can buy a three pack made by pilot at autozone.

[mveale05]

You can buy a three pack made by pilot at autozone.
I already wired everything up... I'll get pictures soon.

[Sierra Stud]

I already wired everything up... I'll get pictures soon.

Sweet man! I didn't relize how long ago you posted lol, where did you end up getting them?

[TheBigJ]

Nice MOD, very inspiring =]

[mveale05]

Sweet man! I didn't relize how long ago you posted lol, where did you end up getting them?
Autozone... :naughty:

There's no other place to get neons here. I'll try and remember to take some pictures tonight.

I did a lot more than just the cupholders too.

[Reit38]

whats the best color led to get different color liquids to light up (so orange will be orange, blue would be blue)

[mveale05]

whats the best color led to get different color liquids to light up (so orange will be orange, blue would be blue)
So you want to be able to put a red liquid in, and have it glow perfectly red, and then a blue liquid in the same cupholder and have it glow perfectly blue too?

White, but I haven't seen many white LED's.

[Sierra Stud]

So you want to be able to put a red liquid in, and have it glow perfectly red, and then a blue liquid in the same cupholder and have it glow perfectly blue too?

White, but I haven't seen many white LED's.
White is the only way to go imo... that is, unless you have a color scheme to go with it.
I was able to get white from autozone, but they go fast and they don't keep them in stock as much as blue or red :cussing:

[blink182house]

www.lsdiodes.com

3mm 3000mcd (or 5000mcd)

super bright, clear LED's so when installed you cant even see them barely, and you can get like 100 of them for like $8 i think, havent been on there in a yaer or so.

[mveale05]

So, took some pictures of mine.

The whole setup goes something like this:

[All blue]
(2) 4-bulb LED's in cupholders
(2) 15" neon tubes under dashboard
(2) 10" neon tubes under rear seat
(2) LED's in pocket under CD player [one needs to be fixed]
(1) 4-bulb LED in storage pocket next to climate controls
(1) LED in ashtray handle
(1) 6" neon tube behind passenger dashboard grab handle
All wired into 2 switches with blue LED's, one turns on just the cupholders, one turns on everything else.

I still have more to do, but I'm waiting till one of these coming weekends when I tear the interior apart to do the new system.

Pictures:

Water bottles in cupholders
http://vales.com/gaming/pics/mytruck65.jpg


Entire front view
http://vales.com/gaming/pics/mytruck66.jpg


Rear floor
http://vales.com/gaming/pics/mytruck67.jpg


Switches
http://vales.com/gaming/pics/mytruck68.jpg


Switches
http://vales.com/gaming/pics/mytruck69.jpg


Dashboard
http://vales.com/gaming/pics/mytruck70.jpg


Ashtray light
http://vales.com/gaming/pics/mytruck71.jpg


Passenger dashboard grab handle
http://vales.com/gaming/pics/mytruck72.jpg


One bottle, one empty
http://vales.com/gaming/pics/mytruck73.jpg


Passenger dashboard grab handle
http://vales.com/gaming/pics/mytruck74.jpg

[Sierra Stud]

Great job man! Fuggin awesome :rocking:

[mveale05]

Great job man! Fuggin awesome :rocking:
Thanks man... It looks much better in real life, it REALLY glows. My camera doesn't seem to like night shots though, so you can't really see much.

But yeah, I'm gonna do some in the doors and various places when I start pulling apart to wire my system.

[Sierra Stud]

Thanks man... It looks much better in real life, it REALLY glows. My camera doesn't seem to like night shots though, so you can't really see much.

But yeah, I'm gonna do some in the doors and various places when I start pulling apart to wire my system.

I'll bet! I did some in the rear door handles in my extra cab, and I now never hear "where's the handle at?" anymore.:LOL:

Here's a shot of my ext cab door handle:
9473


9475

And a cup holder pic.
9474

I don't have any night shot as of now, hopefully later tho.

[hunt_ak]

So is everyone using 3mm or 5mm LED's? Wouldn't you be able to wire a 2-color LED with a 3-way switch to have for example blue-off-white?

[Scope1313]

Wowza....haven't been around on FSC in forever. Funny to see my thread is still clinging to life!

On another note, I shoulda patented this crap when I first got the stupid idea to try it. Those bastards over at Dodge must have gotten on these boards and stole my ideas for their new SUV's!!! :chair:

Oh well. Glad to see so many people trying it out. Mine are still glowing away a few years after install. :cool:

[92 sierra slx]

no cup holders but i have led foot wells i took some led grille lights at autozone and hard wired it to cd player so key on foot well lights up get pics on later

[BewstAdd1ct]

just for the record, powerAID is an intake system, powerADE is a drink ;)

[Arkansas Dave]

Just seen this post but awhile back I did see a insert at the Zone auto parts store that was like a coaster with LEDs inside that made your drink glow and show up in the dark. This was in the last year so who knows they might have got the idea from this post.

AD

[NacIK]

Just drove a new Saturn when I had my rental. There was two orange leds in the overhead console shining dimly on the shifter and seats. Might try this with the blue led's I already have.

If anyone has wiring issues or has a idea, but can't figure out how to wire it, let me know and I will figure it out. I wired up my own custom remote start/keyless entry system from a remote controlled lighting kit from Autozone and the skills I leaned being an Apache electrician. I can figure out almost anything electrical, or at least find the answer for you.